DUB
ROCKERS |
STEPPERS |
ROOTS |
DUB
ROCKERS |
STEPPERS |
ROOTS |
ABOUT
Downtown Steppas formed in Berlin in 2018. As a backing band, they have worked with vocal artists from diverse international backgrounds, performing original music across the full spectrum of reggae styles, including roots, rocksteady and dancehall as well as afro-reggae.
Over the years, the band has performed at venues, festivals and events across Berlin, including YAAM, Karneval der Kulturen, Kreuzberg Festival, Supamolly, Sisyphos, Kenako Afrika Festival and Görli-Jam Fest. Performances outside Berlin have taken the band to Bremen and Stralsund, and to Varel for Gracy's Bash.
RECORDINGS
The band's first recorded original riddim was Fantasia, voiced by Julian Asher and released as Just Cause in 2019. This was followed a year later by Zion Daughter, with Julian voicing another Downtown Steppas riddim, Monopoly. This track was subsequently given the dub treatment by Berlin producer Aldubb and released as Zion Daughter Dub Remix in 2020.
Julian Asher & Downtown Steppas' first commercial single, Perilous, was released in 2022 through Yutman Records.
The year 2022 also saw the release of I Live, a track from the late Black Kappa's EP of the same name, produced by DJ Futuro of Human Vibes Entertainment and featuring Julian Asher. The track is built on the Save YAAM riddim, which was created to raise awareness for YAAM, an independent project and live-music venue central to Berlin's reggae and multicultural arts scene.
In August of this year, the band's long-running collaboration with Julian Asher culminated in their first album together, Just Cause. This features nine tracks drawn from a larger repertoire developed together with Julian through almost eight years of rehearsals in the band's Kreuzberg basement.
RIDDIMS
Alongside their collaborations with vocal artists, developing a large repertoire of riddims has been a key part of Downtown Steppas' work. This includes reggae classics as well as original compositions. The band's own riddims are composed in different ways: some are written individually and brought to the band, while others grow from an initial idea developed together in rehearsal, often emerging through jamming.
WHAT'S NEXT...
The band is currently promoting Just Cause and preparing an album of original Downtown Steppas riddims, each one to be voiced by a different singer.
